1. Field of the Invention
This application claims priority to the provisional patent application of Robert Kwasnik, et. al. for an ORAL VACUUM AND SCRAPER ATTACHMENT filed Oct. 24, 1997. The patent application is based upon and is an improvement of Disclosure Document 381,147 filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 26, 1995. The present invention relates generally to devices utilized to clean the tongue and oral cavity, and more particularly, to oral hygiene devices capable of suctioning and removing matter from the tongue or mouth. Specifically disclosed are various mouthpieces capable of suctioning, scraping and suctioning, or brushing and suctioning, debris and/or foreign matter such as mouth rinse, toothpaste, food particles, volatile sulfur compound producing bacteria, and the like from the tongue and mouth.
2. Description of Related Art
Oral hygiene devices have been in use for years. The traditional toothbrush has been adapted in a number of ways to provide a suction force to remove matter from a mouth of a person as demonstrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,538,631, 5,463,792 and 4,672,953.
One type of prior art device utilizes brushes concentrically placed about a central opening. U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,631 teaches this placement as does U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,953 which also includes a manifold for controllably discharging liquid.
A second type of prior art device is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,792 which teaches the placement of a suction area opposite the bristles of the toothbrush in order to help keep mouth debris out of the bristles.
Other devices have utilized water to assist in the process of oral hygiene including a jet tooth brush (U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,707) and a turbine powered dental treatment apparatus (U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,109).
Further still, aspirator devices of various types are common in the art.
A need exists for an improved oral vacuum and scraper attachment. Furthermore, a need exists for a combination oral hygiene device having a suctioning capacity near an edge of the hand held portion.
A need exists for a combination device having a mouthpiece with a suction area capable of being located in close proximity to an area to be suctioned.
A need exists for an improved oral scraper attachment capable of both scraping and suctioning.
A need exists for an oral vacuum and scraper attachment suitable for home use.
Furthermore, a need exists for a method of scraping and vacuuming a person's mouth which may be performed either at a dentist's office or at a person's home.
A need exists for an improved portable vacuum and scraper attachment.
A need also exists for a vacuum and suction device for oral hygiene configured to be utilized in a person's home.
Additionally, a need exists for an oral hygiene device which may be cleaned easily.